“Just take a deep breath and don’t worry, I’m not upset, you’re not upset,” the Republican governor said. “This has nothing to do with anything other than the fact that they don’t want me to be governor.”

Christie said the “recent addendum” to the rules he recites at the start of his trademark town halls was necessary because protesters have interrupted the last two events in Mount Laurel and South River.

But the meeting here today in this predominantly Republican Hunterdon County town was, by contrast, a peaceful affair.

Christie blamed the Communication Workers of America, the union representing state workers, for organizing protests — even though protesters have said they were college students as well as members of unions and advocacy groups.

After fighting Christie at the polls and spending millions on attack ads — and, Christie noted, losing two consecutive gubernatorial elections — “their latest trick is to organize people to come here to yell and scream when you try to ask your questions.”

Chris Christie's town hall bromance ends with tough Bridgegate questionsAfter his offer to come to Gov. Chris Christie's house, down some beers, shoot pool and do Christie's laundry ends in a marriage proposal from the governor, Fred Kanter of Mountain Lakes pops some tough questions about the Bridgegate scandal. It marks the first time an attendee of one of Christie's town hall meetings asked about him directly about the investigations into the George Washington Bridge lane closures. (Video by Brian Donohue / The Star-Ledger)

Protesters have called into question everything from the way the governor has responded to the scandal over the politically charged closing of access lanes to the George Washington Bridge last fall to his allocation of Hurricane Sandy relief funds.

“This is fun, for them I guess,” Christie said. “Remember, the reason they do this is because for the first time they actually have to negotiate with someone who represents the taxpayers.”

In a statement issued Tuesday, the CWA said Christie was merely trying to change the subject.

“But blaming CWA insults all the students, environmentalists, housing advocates, civil rights organizations and community groups whose legitimate questions about Sandy corruption and Bridgegate are being ignored,” Seth Hahn, the union's legislative director, said. “Perhaps Christie should spend less time complaining and blaming others, and instead listen to what his constituents are upset about and answer their legitimate questions."